Kia Forte gets a strong exterior design update
The new Kia Forte looks aggressive on the outside, but the interior appears a little lacklustre
Kia has unveiled its refreshed Forte – a compact sedan that looks pretty aggressive with several new exterior details.
The new headlights are slimmer than those on the previous model. The main lamp is surrounded by six individual LED strips that create a rectangular outline. The lamp units link up with Kia’s latest tiger-nose grille to make for a more concise face.
The rear lights have been tidied up too, and now feature a simpler horizontal linear pattern that highlights the width of the back and the shoulder line. Bumpers at the front and back have also been redesigned to emphasise the width of the car, and there is a new boot lid spoiler at the back.
Other updates are only included on the upper trim levels, like the LED fog lights inside the lower grille section, and the 16- and 17-inch dark grey alloys. Kia says that the back lights also have a slightly sportier design on the higher spec models.
While the exterior design update is considerable and makes the model more enticing, the changes on the inside are far less substantial and lack any major significance. The digital driver instrument cluster is slightly larger at 4.2-inches on all trims. The 8-inch centre touchscreen now includes various dials and buttons in the same unit, such as volume control and menu options, making the IP a little neater. However, it remains fairly busy with the air vents of varying shapes and sizes, the climate control unit and the separate hazard button.
Smaller changes include the addition of a new electronic parking brake on the centre console, a rear USB charger, and the option to have the same synthetic leather seats featured in the Carnival. Kia says there is a 25-inch screen available on the GT and GT-Line, but this has not yet been shown in any of the images it has published.
Kia’s exterior design team is currently breathing life into several models, like the Sportage and Carnival. Its EV6 also has a fresh appearance. But the last time we saw an engaging interior was in the fourth generation Sorento.